Hez

Our family of 11 (from 13 to 68) will be going to Paris for 5 days and then Annecy for a week. While in Annecy we will take a day trip via Chamonix to Aosta. Our house rental finishes on the Saturday morning and we will all fly out on the Monday from Geneva so have a day and a half to see a little bit of Switzerland.

I think what we're all looking for is the most culturally *Swiss* experience we can have in such a short amount of time without driving too, too much. We will have cars though which will need to be returned to the French side of the airport in Geneva. Flights out will be on Monday morning so being not too far from the airport on the Sunday night is important.

Many Thanks in advance for your help!

PalenQ

Montreux and Vevey are two smaller gem cities on the eastern end of the lake - lots of folks rave about them - especially dreamy Vevey, situated on a spit of land jutting out into the lake.

And there is so much to do in this area - the lakeside Chateau Chillon, made famous in part by Lord Byron - lake boat rides - including one to Evian-les-Bains France, a thermal spa famous of course for Evian mineral water bottled at the source here.

Rochers-de-Naye mountain train - an easy drive to Gruyeres, a perfectly walled old town and to Broc and the Nestle Chocolate Factory for Willy Wonkaesque tours and just wandering around Vevey or Montreux or nearby Lausanne (home to the IOC and Olympic Museum) or other lakeside towns.

A perfect 1.5 days with too much to do! And an easy drive from Geneva, a suave city that is worth a look around itself.

aliced

Before I even read PalenQ's response above, my response was Montreux and Vevey. You can easily get to both by train or boat to access the best sights. Or, to provide even more time, take your rental car. Also loved upper and lower Lausanne served by an efficient metro. We were ending up our Swiss trip while staying in Montreux for 2-3 nights and flew home from Geneva but used the trains exclusively (right into Geneva airport).

Ruby99

Great suggestions... I'm heading to the French Alps in the spring and want to spend a few days in Switzerland after my cooking class.. Land and depart from Geneva but don't want to venture too far.......... will definitely look into Montreux and Vevey!

Hez

That sounds great. Will it be different enough from Annecy with all being on lakes? Any recommendations on driving routes? Am thinking maybe around southern end of lake to Vevey on Saturday and then through Gruyere back to Geneva airport on Sunday night? Does that make sense?

Thanks so much!!!

PalenQ

Yes that makes perfect sense - though the lakes Annecy is one and Geneva is on - Lake Geneva I think is much bigger and backdropped by ice-bound Mont Blanc.

two rather different lakes.